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The rockier tracks Peach Blossom, Kinda Fuzzy, New Alphabet are killer. I really wish the whole album was like this. A full on rock record but unfortunatley it's kind of a mixed bag. The slower songs are good, but its all too familiar now. You couldn't write a more stereotypical Eels song than On the Ropes.

So don't want to be to negative as its a good record but after hearing the two singles I was expecting something a little different.

but they've totally fucked up the preorder thing and the site where you download your MP3 version is 'under maintenance' so I guess I won't be getting my copy for ages.

Anyway, it's miles better than Tomorrow Morning and End Times. I liked it a lot.

But I found it a bit dull. A shame because every Eels record up until Blinking Lights had its own feel. Now it just feels like retread after retread. Peach Blossom is good fun though.

in all honesty
a bit boring

It would probably have flown under the radar even if that MBV album had dropped, it's really unremarkable.

it might sound like a shit thing to say but i can't help but feel like he's just writing songs as self-therapy at this stage, and it's really very boring to listen to him constantly recycling lyrical themes. what happened to those weird little compositions he used to do, stuff like hospital food or flyswatter or souljacker pt.2? they were great, now it's just split down the middle between tepid folk and plodding blues/psych. i think, between blinking lights (which was brilliant) and his autobiography, he just poured everything out and there's nothing really left creatively anymore.

* i haven't actually listened to the album but i've heard 2 or 3 tracks and read the reviews

The first two tracks (Bombs Away and Kinda Fuzzy) are killer. Accident Prone is a bit weak. Peach Blossom is obviously brilliant. On the Ropes is a bit 'ropey'. Then from then on in it's a nice mix of decent and passable.

8/10.

He's still got his own style, I think people just need to give this one a bit more time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cumTHJHoHIM

naysayers can shut right up. It's brilliant. A lot more consistent than first impressions implied, strong. Very strong. I Am Building a Shrine is gorgeous.

Haven't been able to give it a proper focused listen yet but the first half's definitely really good. Kinda trails off for a bit after that but comes back alive in the last couple of songs. Do agree though that I wish there'd be more songs in the vein of the singles.

The bonus disc is pretty good too.

And I have not really liked an eels record since Blinking Lights. Seeing how good this is I bought some tickets for a show end of February. Pretty excited.

ha ha ha, I don't really know, not a fan.

The problem is that most of the highs on here don't really reach the heights of previously. I'm liking the title track, Peach Blossom, Bombs Away, The Turnaround.

There are nods towards incorporating more psychedlic and classic 70's rock sounds in places, which is a nice direction for him to go in.

I agree with On The Ropes sounding like an Eels ballad without coming anywhere near the classic Eels ballads.

No one should knock him, he's got so many wonderful songs and several outstanding albums behind him. I think it's going to be difficult for him from here. Somewhere in the future I think he can still write another rock record - Hombre Lobo was inching towards that and the rock tour they did showed he'd be more than capable of making a classic rockin record.

I also think he can do a better loneliness record than End Times, which has a few good songs but a lot of averageness.

http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4145989-everybody’s-had-one-person-die-i-call-those-people-amateurs-–-dis-meets-eels

but that's exactly what I want from him by now.